Saskatoon Construction II

[Jerry]

Originally Posted by prairieguy

The reason that I have personally cited the need for a grocery store in my decision to live downtown or not is because I AM looking for a walkable neighborhood. The main motivation to relocate downtown for my wife and I is that we would be able to WALK or Bike to restaurants, entertainment, pubs, theatre, galleries and yes, grocery or markets. It doesn't have to be a large format grocery store. Many urban centres have excellent examples of 'boutique markets' that service their downtown neighborhoods more then adequately.

For my wife and I, it is absolutely an issue/want. I understand for others it is not a factor.

We live downtown and a grocery store is the only missing element to keeping our neighborhood totally walkable. Even a small Sobeys ‘Urban Fresh’ store would work for us and I have contacted them in regards to one. We are so thankful for the farmers market and fresh vegetables in the summer. Our building also has roof top garden area which is a great option.

When we lived in Montgomery we had 2 cars on the go all the time, living downtown we are down to one car and besides road trips it's used once a week to drive for groceries.

Our lives have totally changed by moving downtown, we find ourselves living healthier, happier and more engaged.

[prairieguy]

Originally Posted by Jerry

We live downtown and a grocery store is the only missing element to keeping our neighborhood totally walkable. Even a small Sobeys ‘Urban Fresh’ store would work for us and I have contacted them in regards to one. We are so thankful for the farmers market and fresh vegetables in the summer. Our building also has roof top garden area which is a great option.

When we lived in Montgomery we had 2 cars on the go all the time, living downtown we are down to one car and besides road trips it's used once a week to drive for groceries.

Our lives have totally changed by moving downtown, we find ourselves living healthier, happier and more engaged.

Thanks for the testimonial, Jerry. Your description of how it has impacted your life is exactly what we are looking for. We cannot wait to find that 'perfect' option to attract us downtown. We are interested in what The Banks may offer up, but from what I have seen so far, it may be a bit on the small side for us. I guess that is my other "beef" for condo developers. Please be aware that there IS a market for condos of around 1350-1400sq ft!!!! It is so hard to find a condo in this range. For us, that would be the perfect size.

[walkaholic]

I moved downtown 4 years ago and I couldn't be happier with my decision. It wasn't the perfect option (no a/c, condo needs some work, lack of big windows, etc) but I knew I wanted to be downtown. I appreciate it every single day when I walk to and from work, it is so much more relaxing than fighting rush hour traffic. Like Jerry, I only drive my car once a week when I go for groceries (I have less than 40K on my 7 year old car).

If you wait for the perfect option, you'll be waiting a long time. There won't be a grocery store until there are enough people living downtown to support it. So come on down and we'll be that much closer to a downtown grocery store.

My 2 cents.

[jrochest]

re: the argument that a grocery isn't needed if you have a car, as in:

Originally Posted by macca

It's interesting that a grocery store is constantly referenced as a critical missing ingredient in residential development downtown. How many Saskatoon neighbourhoods today truly have a grocery store? Very few. Most supermarkets are large format stores with a lot of parking on auto-centric roads. They are not integrated amenities within a community. So the reality is most people have to drive to get groceries. No different than if you lived in a tower downtown and had to drive to the nearest Sobey's/Safeway/Superstore.

The problem isn't the once-a-week drive to Sobey's to buy supplies: it's the moments when you realize that you don't have any milk or butter at 9 PM, that you have no coffee at 8 AM, or when you want to swing by a store to pick up something quick before you get home. I also lived in City Park for a couple of years and I bought far too many 'dinners' aka cans of soup at the Mac's Milk. One reason I moved back to Broadway was the presence of a place I could run to without digging out my car in the winter. In many cases local small grocers are depressingly badly run, shabby and badly stocked -- the Shop Easy in City Park is a good example -- but something like a Raba's or a Sobey's Urban would probably do a good business.

[Treesplease]

I used to live in a walkable neighborhood of another city. A Safeway was located right beside the LRT station. I would stop and buy groceries on my way home from work many nights and only buy what I wanted to eat that night and walk home 3 blocks with the groceries. Food and preparing the food become a bigger and more enjoyable part of my life. I ate healthier and better. Very few cans in my cupboards and almost nothing outside a bit of ice cream in the freezer of my fridge. On the downside if there was a disaster I would have been at risk of starving in 6 hours.

Yes, we all have cars and a walkable grocery next door isn't necessary but it is soooo nice. There is something about getting into a car that changes your personality and detaches you from the rest of humanity - you become less patient, the people on the street aren't humans, they are annoyances that might delay our journey by 10 seconds, and the other people in cars are your adversaries for an imaginary ownership of the road.

Having said this, I currenlty drive everywhere in Regina - the only thing i can buy w/o driving is a chocolate bar or coffee from a close by gas station.

[macca]

My point was that it's specious reasoning to say that a grocery is what is preventing people from moving downtown. Ideally downtown would have a wide variety of food options. But few neighborhoods do, and calling downtown out for it seems like making excuses for not living downtown. Like its a pipe dream for all but a few intrepid souls.

[saskatoonborn]

Couple of questions for everyone. First, what are they building between Idywyld and midtown mall? I keep forgetting to ask.

Second question is less construction and more traffic, but for the sake of disscussion once 25th is opened up do you think they will get rid of one of the lights on Idywyld? Personally I would like to see 24th and/or 21st go. Its going to change traffic flow quite a bit in that area I think. I know I would have used it daily going to and from university.

[Irvin]

Originally Posted by saskatoonborn

Couple of questions for everyone. First, what are they building between Idywyld and midtown mall? I keep forgetting to ask.

Second question is less construction and more traffic, but for the sake of disscussion once 25th is opened up do you think they will get rid of one of the lights on Idywyld? Personally I would like to see 24th and/or 21st go. Its going to change traffic flow quite a bit in that area I think. I know I would have used it daily going to and from university.

That would be the cactus club restaurant

[Brutopian]

Roads, bridges tab set at $500M
Funding sources required

By Charles Hamilton, The Starphoenix, October 12, 2013

Saskatoon will need at least $500 million worth of new interchanges, bridges and overpasses in the next decade, but city officials still aren't sure where the money will come from.

A list of 20 road infrastructure priorities - everything from the new $194-million Parkway Bridge project to intersection improvements at Airport Drive and Circle Drive - will be presented to city council's executive committee next week.

Most of the development - including the Parkway Bridge and intersection improvements at Attridge Drive and Central Avenue - is taking place in the city's northeast, where new neighbourhoods are already planned or under development.

"It's where the activity is happening right now. It's where the demand is, and that's where we are identifying our priorities," said Angela Gardiner, the city's transportation branch manager.

Getting people from the new neighbourhoods in the northeast to the business areas in the north industrial area is an expensive proposition. An interchange costs, on average, $30 million, and the city hopes to build at least seven new ones in the next decade.

[........]

Read more:
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/Roads+bridges+500M/9030328/story.html

[Brutopian]

Traffic congestion in Saskatoon tops city's priority list
City releases 10-year plan for overpasses and interchanges

CBC News: October 11-12, 2013

Transportation planners say Saskatoon can't stall on building its North Commuter Parkway.

They've narrowed their priority list for the next decade down to 20 projects, including a North Commuter bridge, a replacement Traffic Bridge, along with interchanges, and arterial roads to move motorists in new suburbs into the rest of the city.

"It's where the activity is happening now. It's where the demand is and that's where we're identifying our priorities," Angela Gardiner, manager of the City of Saskatoon's Transportation Branch, said.
Target for new bridge is 2016

Almost half of the priority projects relate to building a North Commuter Parkway. To alleviate congestion on Circle Drive North, the city has set a target of 2016 for opening a new north bridge.

"We looked at all the development that's happening in the northeast from a residential point of view and the people that are trying to get to work that are typically in the north end, that's where the majority of our employment growth is," Gardiner said. "That's where a lot of our priorities are targetted now with the north commuter bridge."

[........]

Read more:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/...toon-tops-city-s-priority-list-1.1992033

[Arts]

Originally Posted by saskatoonborn

...Second question is less construction and more traffic, but for the sake of disscussion once 25th is opened up do you think they will get rid of one of the lights on Idywyld? Personally I would like to see 24th and/or 21st go. Its going to change traffic flow quite a bit in that area I think. I know I would have used it daily going to and from university.

I agree, have even discussed this with friends that work in infrastructure who also agree, would be nice for the intersection at 24th st to be right-turns only from Idylwyld. Ironically, ever since the've had lane restrictions in place for the 25th st extension I've found that traffic is flowing through there much better than it did before. Taking a look at the newly installed median curbs it looks as though the left turn lane off Idylwyld onth 24th will still exist though.

[Brutopian]

School Upgrades

SaskatoonHomepage.ca

15 October 2013

Workers are busy modernizing a pair of Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools.

[........]

Read more:
http://www.saskatoonhomepage.ca/school-upgrades/itemid_21

[BizumSkizum]

Speaking of friendly neighborhood groceries ... I hear (from a commercial realtor pal) that Safeway at Cumberland & 8th will officially not be renewing their lease. That will be a big hit for the remaining tenants I assume. With that large sq. footage area open, and the old Blockbuster sitting stagnant for a long time now right out front, I wonder if some changes will be coming?

[North_Regina_Boy]

Originally Posted by BizumSkizum

Speaking of friendly neighborhood groceries ... I hear (from a commercial realtor pal) that Safeway at Cumberland & 8th will officially not be renewing their lease. That will be a big hit for the remaining tenants I assume. With that large sq. footage area open, and the old Blockbuster sitting stagnant for a long time now right out front, I wonder if some changes will be coming?

If that happens, I hope that place is demolished and a developer builds a 4-6 story building that follows the corner with street level retail and 2nd floor offices 3-6 floor condos and apartments and then parking in the rear where it isn't visible and start redeveloping 8th street. Pipe dream, I hope not.

Would be a great corner to have little coffee shops and stores that have 10-20 ft of patio before the sidewalk then start the building

[jigglysquishy]

Originally Posted by North_Regina_Boy

If that happens, I hope that place is demolished and a developer builds a 4-6 story building that follows the corner with street level retail and 2nd floor offices 3-6 floor condos and apartments and then parking in the rear where it isn't visible and start redeveloping 8th street. Pipe dream, I hope not.

Would be a great corner to have little coffee shops and stores that have 10-20 ft of patio before the sidewalk then start the building

I live like a half block from here. That would be a dream come true.

[saskatoonborn]

Originally Posted by North_Regina_Boy

If that happens, I hope that place is demolished and a developer builds a 4-6 story building that follows the corner with street level retail and 2nd floor offices 3-6 floor condos and apartments and then parking in the rear where it isn't visible and start redeveloping 8th street. Pipe dream, I hope not.

Would be a great corner to have little coffee shops and stores that have 10-20 ft of patio before the sidewalk then start the building

I agree to an extent. It would be cool to see condos and little shops go up in that area. I am picturing a courtyard type area in between buildings and a big patio with tables for shoppers to rest at. Honestly, however, I really dont want to see any more office space outside of downtown for awhile.

I have mentioned it before but almost half off all the office space in Saskatoon is outside the CBD. So I think if they started to limit that they would have more demand downtown and that might give some of those big office projectsthat get some traction. It would probably cause a cacade effect more work downtown means more people will want to live there or close by which will help reduce traffic conjestion and increase city transit ridership. Then again thats a pipe dream too haha.

[Brutopian]

City narrows transportation project list from 52 to 20
Bridges, overpasses, roads total over $500 million

Reported by François Biber, NewsTalk 650 CKOM
Oct 15, 2013

A list of 20 projects to improve Saskatoon's transportation network has targeted new neighbourhoods in the city's east end.

Everything from overpasses, bridges and lane improvements have made this list, which the city hopes to have completed in the next 10 years.

"Over the last year we took a review of about 52 transportation infrastructure projects," the city's Angela Gardiner said. "What floated to the top of the list and what these 20 projects represent are those that would have the most positive impact on the city's transportation network that's why we're proposing that these be the priorities we undertake over the next few years."

On the top of the list is the massive two-bridge project estimated at $230 million. The city chose to package the North Commuter Parkway Bridge with the Traffic Bridge, in hopes of attracting more federal and provincial funding for the projects. The city is still waiting to hear if the project qualifies under PPP Canada.

Also on the list are overpasses in Stonebridge and Rosewood, plus a series of interchanges on Marquis Drive, College Drive and McOrmond Drive.

[.........]

Read more:
http://ckom.com/story/city-narrows-transportation-project-list-52-20/138452

[North_Regina_Boy]

Originally Posted by saskatoonborn

I agree to an extent. It would be cool to see condos and little shops go up in that area. I am picturing a courtyard type area in between buildings and a big patio with tables for shoppers to rest at. Honestly, however, I really dont want to see any more office space outside of downtown for awhile.

I have mentioned it before but almost half off all the office space in Saskatoon is outside the CBD. So I think if they started to limit that they would have more demand downtown and that might give some of those big office projectsthat get some traction. It would probably cause a cacade effect more work downtown means more people will want to live there or close by which will help reduce traffic conjestion and increase city transit ridership. Then again thats a pipe dream too haha.

I can agree with that to a point. I was more thinking these offices would be for MDs, Dentists, and Small medical services, so that people living close don't have to go far to get those services. However yes the larger offices should be more centralized.

[Crisis]

Originally Posted by saskatoonborn

I agree to an extent. It would be cool to see condos and little shops go up in that area. I am picturing a courtyard type area in between buildings and a big patio with tables for shoppers to rest at. Honestly, however, I really dont want to see any more office space outside of downtown for awhile.

I have mentioned it before but almost half off all the office space in Saskatoon is outside the CBD. So I think if they started to limit that they would have more demand downtown and that might give some of those big office projectsthat get some traction. It would probably cause a cacade effect more work downtown means more people will want to live there or close by which will help reduce traffic conjestion and increase city transit ridership. Then again thats a pipe dream too haha.

Although I think everyone on this board would like to see shiny new highrises downtown, that simply isn't the reality in this market. Somewhat surprisingly, it would appear that this trend to higher demand for suburban office isn't just limited to Saskatoon. At least according to this infomercial from Barry Stuart at ICR related to Q3 2013 Saskatoon Office Vacancy:

https://www.youtube.com/user/BarryStuartICR

Maybe all of the residents/developers that are constantly being criticized for suburban development in this forum are not the bunch of country bumpkins as characterized by many posters.

[saskatoonborn]

Originally Posted by North_Regina_Boy

I can agree with that to a point. I was more thinking these offices would be for MDs, Dentists, and Small medical services, so that people living close don't have to go far to get those services. However yes the larger offices should be more centralized.

Haha fair enough I forgot about those types of offices. In that case I take no issue. Nevermind.